Heat generator

ABSTRACT

A heat generator includes an air-conditioning refrigerating system formed of a compressor, a discharge line, a condenser, a condenser liquid line, a liquid distributor, a spoiler such as metering device, an evaporator and a suction line, and a liquid delivering system. The discharge line has a head heat segment disposed in contact with a contact segment of the delivery segment for heat exchange to charge liquid passing through the delivery pipe into hot water or steam.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to generators and more particularly, to a heat generating system for charge liquid in a liquid delivering system into heat by means of heat exchange between the liquid delivering system with the head heat in an air-conditioning refrigerating system.

2. Description of the Related Art

The operation of an air-conditioning refrigerating system is to make heat exchange, i.e., to provide a heat transfer effect by means of cycling a refrigerant to dissipate heat and absorb heat. On the path of the refrigerant, the refrigerant is returned to the compressor for compression and output after passed through the cold room. When condensed (heat dissipated), the temperature of the high-pressure refrigerant is dropped. Thereafter, the refrigerant is processed through evaporation to absorb heat. This operation cycle, i.e., refrigeration cycle is recycled again and again, providing the desired cooling effect. In this refrigeration cycle, the refrigerant is in the liquid state during condensation; however it is turned into the gas state during evaporation.

Therefore, a regular air-conditioning refrigerating system is comprised of four main parts, namely, the compressor, the condenser, the refrigerant metering device such as capillary tube, and the evaporator.

The compressor uses a motor to compress a low-pressure low-temperature gaseous refrigerant into a high-pressure high-temperature, for example, 275 psig, 90° C. gaseous refrigerant, such as R-22 that is discharged through the discharge end of the compressor. Therefore, the compressor is the power source for the cycling of the air-conditioning refrigerating system.

The condenser is adapted to condense the high-pressure high-temperature gaseous refrigerant into a high-pressure medium-temperature, for example, 269 psig, 46° C. liquefied refrigerant by means of the medium of air or water. When the refrigerant is passing through the evaporator, the evaporator uses cooling media and/or fan to charge heat to the refrigerant.

The spoiler can be a capillary tube or expansion valve adapted to turn the high-pressure medium-temperature liquefied refrigerant into a low-pressure low-temperature liquefied refrigerant for quick evaporation in the evaporator.

The evaporator is to evaporate the low-pressure liquefied refrigerant into a low-pressure low-temperature, for example, 65 psig, 3° C. gaseous refrigerant. When air flowing through the evaporator, the refrigerant absorbs heat energy from the air, and therefore the refrigerant is turned into vapor. When passing from the evaporator to the intake end of the compressor, the temperature of the refrigerant is raised to about 11° C.

Actually, when the refrigerant of the air-conditioning refrigerating system passes through the evaporator, the refrigerant absorbs heat. But the lubricating oil in the piping to be turned into a paste-like status that does not facilitate lubrication of the compressor, and increasing of the consumption of electric current and the load of the compressor. In consequence, the performance of the compressor is lowered down.

In the circulation path of the refrigerant of the aforesaid air-conditioning refrigerating system, the pipe segment in proximity to the discharge end of the compressor to discharge the high-pressure high-temperature refrigerant with lubricating oil is called the head heat segment. The temperature of this head heat segment is about 90° C. that cannot charge a liquid, for example, water into hot water or even steam. Therefore, when the refrigerant passes through the condenser, the temperature of the refrigerant is lowered to about 46° C. This heat transfer loss is against the policy of energy saving and carbon reduction. Therefore, it is common problem how to effectively utilize the heat energy of the head heat at the discharge end of the compressor of an air-conditioning refrigerating system, for example, to utilize this heat energy for making heat exchange to charge liquid into hot water or even steam.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Based on experiences in designing, manufacturing and selling air-conditioning refrigerating systems and the present inventor's inventions of Taiwan Publication No. 428077 (equivalent to U.S. Pat. No. 6,092,377), entitled “Air cooled two stage condenser for air conditioning and refrigeration system”; Taiwan Publication No. 457359 (equivalent to U.S. Pat. No. 6,370,901), entitled “Compound evaporation system and device thereof”; Taiwan Patent No. 494222, entitled “Method for reinforcing condensation and device thereof”, the present inventor invented the present invention. It is therefore the main object of the present invention to provide a heat generating system, which utilizes the heat energy of the head heat of the discharge end of the compressor in an air-conditioning refrigerating system, thereby effectively initially lowering the temperature of the high-pressure high-temperature gaseous refrigerant discharged by the compressor.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a heat generating system, which utilizes the heat energy of the head heat of the discharge end of the compressor in an air-conditioning refrigerating system while making heat exchange to charge liquid into hot water or steam.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a heat generating system, which raises the temperature of the low-temperature gaseous refrigerant with lubricating oil of an air-conditioning refrigerating system before returning into the compressor.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a heat generating system, which effectively improves the compression ratio of the compressor of an air-conditioning refrigerating system, lowering electric current consumption and achieving the effects of energy saving.

To achieve these and other objects of the present invention, a heat generating system is comprised of an air-conditioning refrigerating system and a liquid delivering system. The air-conditioning refrigerating system comprises a compressor adapted to discharge high-temperature and high-pressure gaseous refrigerant with lubricating oil, a condenser adapted to condense the high-temperature and high-pressure gaseous refrigerant with lubricating oil into a liquefied state, a refrigerant discharge line adapted to deliver the high-temperature and high-pressure gaseous refrigerant with lubricating oil from the compressor to the condenser for condensing, the refrigerant discharge line having a head heat segment and a heat conducting segment, a condenser main pipe, a liquid distributor connected to the condenser through the condenser main pipe for distributing the liquefied refrigerant with lubricating oil, a spoiler adapted to force the liquefied refrigerant and lubricating oil into a mist so as to lower the pressure of the liquefied refrigerant with lubricating oil, an evaporator adapted to evaporate the mist of liquefied refrigerant with lubricating oil passed through the spoiler into a mist state, and a suction line connected between the evaporator and the compressor to allowed the gaseous state refrigerant with lubricating oil from the evaporator back to the compressor. The suction line has a heat conducting segment attached to the heat conducting segment of the refrigerant discharge line for heat exchange to raise the temperature of the lo side refrigerant and lubricating oil being delivered in the suction line before back to the compressor. The water circulation system comprises a water delivery pipe to deliver water which has a contact segment disposed in contact with the head heat segment of the discharge line making heat exchange to charge water passing through the water delivery pipe into steam, and a steam receiver connected with the water delivery pipe for receiving steam.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a heat generating system in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a layout of the heat generating system in accordance with the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a heat generating system in accordance with the present invention is shown comprised of an air-conditioning refrigerating system 1 and a liquid delivering system 2.

The air-conditioning refrigerating system 1 comprises a compressor 11, a discharge line 12, a condenser 13, a condenser main pipe 14, a liquid distributor 15, a spoiler 16, an evaporator 17 and a suction line 18.

The compressor 11 is of the known art, using the power of a mover, for example, motor, to recycle a low pressure low temperature gaseous refrigerant, for example, R-22, from the suction line 18 and to compress it into a high pressure and high temperature status, for example, 500 psig 160° C. enabling the high-pressure and high-temperature gaseous refrigerant to be discharged with lubricating oil out of the discharge end of the compressor 11 into the discharge line 12.

The discharge line 12 has its one end, namely, the intake end connected to the discharge end of the compressor 11, and its other end, namely, the output end connected to the condenser 13. The intake end of the discharge line 12 has a head heat segment 121 connected to the discharge end of the compressor 11. Therefore, the temperature of this head heat segment 121 can reach 160° C., sufficient to charge liquid, for example, water into hot water or even steam. The water circulation system 2 comprises a delivery pipe 21 that has a contact segment 211 kept in contact with the head heat segment 121 of the discharge line 12 at the air-conditioning refrigerating system 1 for heat exchange to have the liquid flowing through the contact segment 211 be heated into steam. In order to increase the contact area between the head heat segment 121 and the contact segment 211, the head heat segment 121 and the contact segment 211 are wrapped together. Preferably, the contact segment 211 is sleeved onto the head heat segment 121. The contact area between the head heat segment 121 and the contact segment 211 are wrapped with an insulation material, for example, insulation polymer compound. Heat exchange between the head heat segment 121 and the contact segment 211 effectively initially lowers the temperature of the high-pressure and high-temperature gaseous refrigerant with oil being discharged out off the compressor 11 then to the condenser 13.

The condenser 13 condensates the gaseous refrigerant into a liquid state by means of using a cooling medium, such as air or water, to dissipate heat. The condenser 13 is connected to the output end of the discharge line 12, comprising a plurality of condenser coils 131 connected to the output end of discharge line 12 for cooling and storing the high-pressure refrigerant with oil, a plurality of radiation fins 132 surrounding the condenser coils 131 for dissipating heat from the condenser coils 131, and a fan 133 for causing currents of air to carry heat away from the radiation fins 132. By means of the condenser coils 131, the radiation fins 132 and the fan 133, the condenser 13 condenses the high-pressure high-temperature gaseous refrigerant into a high-pressure moderate-temperature state, for example, about 494 psig 46° C.

The condenser main pipe 14 gathers the condenser coils 131 into one single pipe. Therefore, the refrigerant and the oil are gathered together to flow through the condenser main pipe 14 after condensed through the condenser coils 131. At this time, the liquid refrigerant that is flowing through the condenser main pipe 14 still carries a certain amount of thermal energy.

The liquid distributor 15 is connected to at least one tube off the condenser main pipe 14, and extending alternatively circulate through bottom of the evaporator 17 to lower the temperature of the liquid refrigerant with oil and to deliver the cooled liquid refrigerant with oil to the spoiler 16.

Actually, the liquid distributor 15 is a tube provided with a series of bends in alternate directions and constructed according to U.S. Pat. No. 6,370,901, entitled “Compound evaporation system and device thereof” that is issued to the present inventor. The liquid distributor 15 is installed in the bottom side of the evaporator 17. By means of the evaporation effect of the evaporator 17, the temperature and pressure of the refrigerant and the oil flowing through the liquid distributor 15 are lowered to, for example, about 25° C. 300 psig. The liquid distributor 15 can be a single coil tube formed of a number of capillary tubes for guiding in the liquid refrigerant, the oil and bubbles from the condenser 13. When the liquid refrigerant and the oil enter the capillary tubes of the liquid distributor 15, the fine diameters of the capillary tubes of the liquid distributor 15 stop bubbles outside the inlet, enhancing condensing efficiency is like the effect of the method for reinforcing condensation and device thereof of Taiwan Patent No. 494222 that is issued to the present inventor.

The spoiler 16 can be formed of an expansion valve or capillary tube, and is adapted to force the liquid refrigerant passing there through into a mist, lowering the pressure of the liquid refrigerant to, for example, about 50 psi for evaporation by the evaporator 17.

The evaporator 17 comprises a plurality of evaporator coils 171 connected to the output end of the spoiler 16 for inject the mist-like refrigerant for quick evaporation, a plurality of radiation fins 172 arranged around the evaporator coils 171 for thermal dissipation from the evaporator coils 171 to enhance evaporation, and a fan 173 for causing currents of air to carry heat from the radiation fins 172 to have the mist-like refrigerant be evaporated into vapor. For example, 50 psig −3° C. refrigerant is flowing through the evaporator coils 171, it absorbs heat energy and is caused to evaporate. The latent heat function of the evaporator 17 causes the refrigerant to be charge from a liquid state into a gas state so that the temperature of the refrigerant is raised from −3° C. to 10° C. approximately after absorb heat.

As stated above, the bottom of the evaporator 17 is kept in contact with the liquid distributor 15. As illustrated, the evaporator 17 has a plurality of through holes 174 in the bottom side for the insertion of the liquid distributor 15 in a detoured manner for heat exchange, i.e., condensed water drops from the evaporator coils 171 and radiation fins 172 of the evaporator 17 during evaporation to flow over the liquid distributor 15 and to exchange heat from the liquid distributor 15.

The suction line 18 is a tubular member having its one end connected to the evaporator coils 171, which are arranged in one tube and the other end connected to the intake end of the compressor 11. Therefore, the gaseous refrigerant backs to the compressor to complete a cycle. Before returning to the compressor 11, the gaseous refrigerant with oil absorbs heat energy from the discharge head. In order to raise temperature from low pressure and low temperature condition, for example, intake 50 psig 10° C. to about 160° C. discharge, the suction line 18 and the discharge line 12 have a respective heat conducting segment 181 or 122 attached together for heat exchange. By means of this heat exchange action, the gaseous refrigerants with oil are pre-heated to about 25° C. before returning to the compressor 11. When pre-heat the lo side refrigerant with oil softened the oil, facilitating running of the compressor 11. Rise in the expiratory volume causes the winding in the compressor to release heat, thereby raising the temperature of the discharge head and higher the compression ratio, lowering the consumption of electric current.

The liquid delivering system 2 has the contact segment 211 of its delivery pipe 21 coupled to the head heat segment 121 for heat exchange. The liquid passing through the delivery pipe 21 is heated into hot water or steam according to the different thickness of inside diameter of the delivery pipe 21. The produced hot water can be used for washing or bathing. The produced steam has a temperature about 140° C. and is flowing through the delivery pipe 21 into a steam receiver 22 for storage. The steam receiver 22 can be connected to a water reservoir 23 through a connection pipe 221 for enabling the steam, which has a temperature about 134° C. when flowed out of the steam receiver 22, to heat liquid in the water reservoir 23. The water reservoir 23 is connected with the delivery pipe 21 and a water inlet pipe 231, forming a steam-liquid circulation system. Because the water contained in the water reservoir 23 is heated by the steam from steam receiver 22, it can be quickly changed into steam when passing through the contact segment 211 of the delivery pipe 21 to make heat exchange with the head heat segment 121 of the discharge line 12.

Further, the steam receiver 22 has a relief pipe 221 which can be connected thereto for discharge of the steam for other purposes, for example, for the preparation of distilled water, for heating a water tank, or for the purpose of washing or bathing. Or on the lower section of the water reservoir 23 has an outlet pipe 232 connected thereto for outputting the hot water producing in the water reservoir 23 for the purpose of washing or bathing.

By means of transferring heat energy from the head heat segment 121 of the discharge line 12 of the compressor 11 in the air-conditioning refrigerating system 1 to the contact segment 211 of the delivery pipe 21 of the liquid delivering system 2, liquid flowing through the delivery pipe 21 of the liquid delivering system 2 is quickly turned into hot water or steam. This heat energy is over twice of the total of the latent heat and sensible heat of the condenser 13. Further, the pressure ratio between the high pressure and the low pressure according to the present invention can be as high as 8:1 (500 psig:45 psig) making an outstanding difference when compared to conventional air-conditioning refrigerating systems or heat pumps.

Therefore, the application of the invention has the advantage of effectively utilizing the heat energy of the head heat of the discharge end of the compressor in an air-conditioning refrigerating system to make heat exchange with a liquid delivering system for changing a liquid flowing through the piping of the liquid delivering system into hot water or steam for other purposes. This arrangement avoids waste of heat energy and reduces discharge of waste heat, Further, the invention enables the temperature of the gaseous refrigerant and oil to be raised before return back to the compressor, thereby softening the oil, facilitating smooth running of the compressor and having the compressor be thoroughly lubricated. In consequence, the invention increases the compression ratio of the compressor and enables the heat energy of the winding of the compressor to be released, lowering electric current consumption and exhibiting the effects of energy saving.

Although a particular embodiment of the invention has been described in detail for purposes of illustration, various modifications and enhancements may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be limited except as by the appended claims. 

1. A head generator, comprising: an air-conditioning refrigerating system, said air-conditioning refrigerating system comprising: a compressor, said compressor comprising an intake end and an discharge end, said compressor being adapted to discharge a high-temperature and high-pressure gaseous refrigerant with lubricating oil; a condenser adapted to condense said high-temperature and high-pressure gaseous refrigerant with lubricating oil into a liquefied state; a refrigerant discharge line adapted to deliver said high-temperature and high-pressure gaseous refrigerant with lubricating oil from the discharge end of said compressor to said condenser for condensing, said discharge line comprising a head heat segment and a heat conducting segment; a liquid line, a liquid distributor connected to said condenser through said liquid line for distributing said liquefied refrigerant and lubricating oil; a spoiler adapted to force said liquid refrigerant with lubricating oil into a mist so as to lower the pressure of said liquid refrigerant with lubricating oil; an evaporator adapted to evaporate the mist of said liquid refrigerant with lubricating oil passed through said spoiler into a mist state ; and a suction line connected between said evaporator and the intake end of said compressor to guide the lo side refrigerant with lubricating oil from said evaporator into said compressor, said suction line comprising a heat conducting segment attached to the heat conducting segment of said refrigerant discharge line for heat exchange to raise the temperature of the lo side refrigerant with lubricating oil being delivered in said suction line to said compressor; a liquid delivering system, said liquid delivering system comprising: a delivery pipe for delivering liquid, said delivery pipe comprising a contact segment for making heat exchange with high-pressure gaseous refrigerant and the lubricating oil to charge liquid into hot water.
 2. The heat generator as claimed in claim 1, wherein said contact segment of said delivery pipe is sleeved onto said head heat segment of said discharge line, and the flowing direction of said refrigerant and said lubricating oil to the flowing direction of the liquid in said delivery pipe for heat gain is an opposite way to each other.
 3. The heat generator as claimed in claim 2, wherein the connection area between said contact segment of said delivery pipe and said head heat segment of said discharge line is wrapped with an insulation material.
 4. The heat generator as claimed in claim 1, wherein said condenser comprises a plurality of condenser coils connected to said discharge line for receiving said high-temperature and high-pressure high side refrigerant with lubricating oil from discharged said compressor and condensing said high-temperature and high-pressure gaseous refrigerant with lubricating oil condensed into a liquefied state; said evaporator comprises a plurality of evaporator coils connected to said spoiler the metering device.
 5. The heat generator as claimed in claim 1, wherein said evaporator comprises a plurality of through holes in a bottom side thereof; said liquid distributor is a coiled tubular member inserted through said through holes of said evaporator for enabling dissipate heat to condensed water produced during operation of said evaporator so to exchange heat to said liquid distributor.
 6. The heat generator as claimed in claim 1, wherein said liquid distributor is formed in a single tube.
 7. The heat generator as claimed in claim 1, wherein said liquid distributor is tubular member formed of a plurality of capillary tubes.
 8. The heat generator, comprising: an air-conditioning refrigerating system, said air-conditioning refrigerating system comprising: a compressor, said compressor comprising an intake end and an discharge end, said compressor being adapted to discharge a high-temperature and high-pressure gaseous refrigerant with lubricating oil; a condenser adapted to condense said high-temperature and high-pressure gaseous refrigerant with lubricating oil into a liquefied state; a refrigerant discharge line adapted to deliver said high-temperature and high-pressure gaseous refrigerant with lubricating oil from the discharge end of said compressor to said condenser for condensing, said discharge line comprising a head heat segment and a heat conducting segment; a liquid line, a liquid distributor connected to said condenser through said liquid line for distributing said liquefied refrigerant and lubricating oil; a spoiler adapted to force said liquid refrigerant with lubricating oil into a mist so as to lower the pressure of said liquid refrigerant with lubricating oil; an evaporator adapted to evaporate the mist of said liquid refrigerant with lubricating oil passed through said spoiler into a mist state; and a suction line connected between said evaporator and the intake end of said compressor to guide the lo side refrigerant with lubricating oil from said evaporator into said compressor, said suction line comprising a heat conducting segment attached to the heat conducting segment of said refrigerant discharge line for heat exchange to raise the temperature of the lo side refrigerant with lubricating oil being delivered in said suction line to said compressor; a liquid delivering system, said liquid delivering system comprising: a delivery pipe for delivering liquid, said delivery pipe comprising a contact segment for making heat exchange with high-pressure gaseous refrigerant and the lubricating oil to charge liquid into steam a steam receiver connected with said steam delivery pipe to receive steam from said steam delivery pipe.
 9. The heat generator as claimed in claim 8, wherein said contact segment of said delivery pipe is sleeved onto said head heat segment of said discharge line, and the flowing direction of said refrigerant and said lubricating oil to the flowing direction of the water in said delivery pipe for heat gain is an opposite way to each other.
 10. The heat generator as claimed in claim 8, wherein the connection area between said contact segment of said delivery pipe and said head heat segment of said discharge line is wrapped with an insulation material.
 11. The heat generator as claimed in claim 8, wherein said water circulation system further comprises a water reservoir connected to one end of said water delivery pipe opposite to said steam receiver, a connection pipe connected between said steam receiver and said water reservoir, and a water inlet pipe connected to said water reservoir.
 12. The heat generator as claimed in claim 11, wherein said steam receiver comprises a relief pipe for releasing steam.
 13. The heat generator as claimed in claim 11, wherein on a lower section of said water reservoir connected to an outlet pipe for outputting hot water producing therein.
 14. The heat generator as claimed in claim 8, wherein said condenser comprises a plurality of condenser coils connected to said discharge line for receiving said high-temperature and high-pressure high side refrigerant with lubricating oil from discharged said compressor and condensing said high-temperature and high-pressure gaseous refrigerant with lubricating oil condensed into a liquefied state; said evaporator comprises a plurality of evaporator coils connected to said spoiler the metering device.
 15. The heat generator as claimed in claim 8, wherein said evaporator comprises a plurality of through holes in a bottom side thereof; said liquid distributor is a coiled tubular member inserted through said through holes of said evaporator for enabling dissipate heat to condensed water produced during operation of said evaporator so to exchange heat to said liquid distributor.
 16. The heat generator as claimed in claim 8, wherein said liquid distributor is formed in a single tube.
 17. The heat generator as claimed in claim 8, wherein said liquid distributor is tubular member formed of a plurality of capillary tubes. 